Improvement in frogs for railroad crossings



UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE. I

SAMUEL L. PHELPS, OF STURGIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN DEKAM, OF KALA- MAZOO, MICHIGAN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,681), dated July 23, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. PHELPS, of Sturgis, in the countyof St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Orossings and Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clearfand exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved railroad and switch crossing complete and ready for adjustment. Fig. 2 is a section through the linetr as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. i

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and convenient means of adjusting that part of the rail or tread next to the groove or opening for the cross-track or switch, so that at the place of greatest wear the track may be replaced bynew parts, as required, without removing the main rail or the plate or frog; and to this end my invention consists in a frog of peculiar construction, and the combination therewith of short sections of rails or bearings adapted to and fitting on and in grooves in the frog, ashereinafter moreparticularly described and claimed.

A in the drawing represents the frog or plate provided with eyes or bolt-holes for securing the same to the ties or any suitable bed. The dog is provided with guide-flanges A and with cars A anda stud or pin. B represents a section of rail or'wheel tread made of the form shown to fit in between the cars A, and provided with a recess or hole to fit over the stud or pin. The rail B is to be bolted or otherwise fastened to the frog by a bolt passing transversely through the ears and tongue of the rail, as shown in the drawing. It will be seen that the tread or rail B will thus be held firmly in its relative and proper position on the frog, and when worn or broken may be readily and conveniently replaced by another. The angular piece B is arranged to be, and is, secured in the same or similar manner with the part B.

It is obvious that the ears may be on the rail and the tongue on the plate.

The advantage of the above is obvious,.and therefore needs no special description.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The frog or plate A, when provided with guide-flanges A, ears A, and stud or pin a, whereby a rail or segment of a rail may be readily secured, by pins, bolts, or otherwise, to or removed from the same, as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the frog -as above claimed, I claim the rails B and B, substan' tially as set forth.

. SAMUEL L. PHELPS.

Witnesses O. W. W. CLAR E, A. J. LEsLm. 

